


Sanctuary Medicines

by RotIrn



Category: Humans (TV)
Genre: Carer/Patient, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, God Damn It Leo, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Synth/Human Relationship(s), Synths (Human TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-02-01 18:41:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12710679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RotIrn/pseuds/RotIrn
Summary: S1 AU. Leo’s choice of hiding place lands Niska in serious trouble. After being found in a medical synthetic storage bay, she is put on duty as a rehabilitation unit. Shipped out of the city, and away from her family, she must maintain her cover whilst assisting a complete stranger.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a oneshot but it just wouldn't stop. At least one more chapter to come.

It was pitch dark in the back of the van. Every slight bump in the road seemed to toss everything into the air. Niska tried in vain to ignore the constant disturbance. Squeezed in alongside a mass of inactive synths, all she could do was wait. She was in amongst them due to yet another stroke of bad luck.

Leo had rescued her after she had been kidnapped in the forest. He had found a storage unit to use as a base while he worked to find Mia and Fred. It was full of medical rehabilitation and assistance synthetics. Tucked away at the back of a company compound, they had shelter, electricity. They thought it had been a great find. 

None of them had considered the business doing a stocktake. There had been no chance for her to escape, but at least she had been the only one there at the time. She stood out amongst all the other synths and wasn’t on the books. Eventually, they decided she must be an old model, forgotten when the system was digitised. With no apparent defects, she was logged and put into the service rota. 

Once again, Leo had briefly managed to contact her and begged her to continue to her destination. He still had to find their siblings. It still frustrated her that he always took Max. She could be helping in so many ways. Not stuck being a slave for some idiot who probably faked an injury for some time off work.

Being thumped by a lifeless bulk broke her concentration again. The van had picked up speed sending a row of synths lurching back towards her. Tracking their progress via GPS, she realised they were leaving the city. The entire frame of the vehicle vibrated as though threatening to fall apart at any moment. It didn’t seem to slow the driver down. He veered between lanes, ignoring the angry horn blasts from other drivers.

Niska was surprised at how far out of the city they were going. It would be far more difficult to meet up with Leo now. It might, however, be far easier for her to slip away on her own. With little else to do, she entered low power mode. Using the time to review the weaknesses in synth communication and behaviour. It would be strange to try and make herself seem less human. But, really, how hard could it be?

**********

Niska continued to monitor their location on a digital map. It was a couple of hours before they left the motorway. And another hour still before they left the bustle of urban life. The cramped mass of roads and buildings soon gave way to open countryside. Narrow roads and sharp bends eventually led them to a single, isolated house. After churning over a gravel driveway, the van came to a halt. 

Crunching his way over the stones, the driver made his way to the back of the van. She could hear him poking away at a tablet, hunting for the right delivery information. The doors next to her swung open with a long squeak of protest. Tempting as it was, she decided not to topple out onto him for her own amusement. 

The longer it took, the more the tension mounted. She started to hope that maybe this wasn’t her destination after all. Then she felt him tug at her arm, checking the shipping details on her wristband. With a grunt of approval, he pulled himself up into the van, causing it to sink dangerously and threaten to tip over. 

It took every ounce of willpower she had not to bat away his rough, sticky hand when he touched her. He left behind some gritty lumps under her chin. Analysing the residue led her to conclude that the gentleman had been stuffing his face with a jam donut.

She readied herself for what was coming. After being ‘powered on’ she would have the relevant client data uploaded. It was a struggle not to reject the connection his portable terminal made. Trying to ignore the rest of the setup, she was only vaguely aware of the new data being added. User information, medical details. Useful, but nothing particularly interesting. Following a brief systems check, the connection was severed and he hauled her out of the van. 

He at least had the sense to put her on a box trolley to transport her into the house, for which she was most grateful. His frustrated grumbling as he struggled to transport her to the house was the only other noise. After a few moments, they came to a stop. Apparently unable to knock on the door in a simple way, the man tried to make a little tune out of it. She dearly hoped he wouldn’t be kept waiting long enough to do it again. 

Keeping her eyes closed was fast becoming tiresome. How was she supposed to plan an escape if she couldn’t see anything? Her thoughts were interrupted when the door finally opened.

“Mrs. Schaeffer?”

“Miss.” 

_ An accent. Foreign. _

The man seemed unconcerned by his mistake, continuing on, “Ah. Yeah. Sorry. Got your rehab synth here. She’ll soon be ready to go, just a few more things and you’ll be sorted.”

“Mhm. Okay. Come in, please.” 

_ Definitely European… Ah, German.  _ Niska could detect the disapproving tone from the woman about his insincere apology. Getting the delivery out the way was probably easier than pressing the point though. 

Wheeling her inside the house, he carried on with his no doubt routine script. “So, i’ll get you two bonded then we’ll go through the paperwork. Here is your complimentary tablet computer. It will help you through the setup and any future changes and support you may require. If you read out this passphrase, you can start the setup.”

_ Bonding? Shit. Do i even have code for that? It needs to follow procedure or that asshole will go hunting in my head again. _ Niska found the code for the bonding process and verified the input password. Making sure it wasn’t going to actually bond them, she waited for the process to begin.

_ Phrase one. Phrase two. Phrase three. Phrase four... _

In as sterile a tone as she could manage, she started the routine procedure. “Hello, i’m now in setup mode and ready for primary user bonding.”

There was a slight pause as the woman read over the instructions on the tablet. Nodding to herself, she replied, “I will be the primary user, Astrid Schaeffer.” 

“A DNA sample will be taken for identification and security purposes. This information will never be shared with any third party organisation.” Niska held out her hand, initiating the handshake she would use to gather the information. As soon as their skin touched, she felt a thrum of energy pass between them. A subtle flicker of surprise coursed through her before she could stamp it down.  _ What the hell happened? _ It was obvious the woman had felt it as well.  _ Great, she probably thinks i’m a shoddy unit that gave her an electric shock. _

After a preprogrammed confirmation tone, she continued her spiel. “Hello Astrid. I’m now securely bonded to you as my primary user. It is very nice to meet you.”

The moment was over as soon as they both remembered the other person in the room. He started talking again, oblivious to what had happened. “Ah, that’s you all sorted there. Now, i’ve got a few things for you to sign, one to confirm receipt of the unit and some other legal bumf.”

The actual signing of the documents only took a couple of minutes, but the driver was far from done. He started discussing pretty much any topic he could. Astrid managed to get him into the hall after few minutes. It was a good five minutes more before Niska heard the front door open. Finally, after several more minutes of inane chatter, Astrid was finally able to get rid of him. 

It had given Niska plenty of time to take in her immediate surroundings. She was in a large kitchen. It was traditional in style with some modern additions. A new granite worktop, modern appliances and lights. Either Astrid was fairly wealthy, or had recently come into some money to improve the house.

It was obvious the woman was in pain by the time she came back into the room. She’d been left with an armful of leaflets, instructions and…  _ oh god _ . The adults only access card. Niska was mortified. Had that been put in her code? Sifting through the additions to her operating system she located the offensive data. She immediately deleted it, adding a permanent block for any similar instruction sets. It had been incredibly stupid of her not to pay more attention to what was being added to her programming. It had appeared to be information that would be vital to maintaining her cover story. If it ended up going that far, then her cover story could go to hell.

Niska was aware of Astrid’s gaze on her. She seemed curious, but also a bit uncertain as she started the conversation. “Hmmph. Okay then. What is your name?”

“Niska.”  _ Oh crap. _ “But you may change it if you do not find it satisfactory.”

After a pause, the woman replied, “Actually, i quite like it. Do i, uh, need to explain my injuries to you?”

“The data i have indicates you were injured at work. Extensive bruising, fractured shoulder and cracked ribs. Severe tissue and muscle damage due to a puncture wound in your midsection. You benefited from the accident being at a hospital. Immediate medical assistance was available from trained professionals.”

“Well, that does pretty much cover it. I’m a nurse at a hospital. I was trying to calm down a volatile patient. He had forced his way onto an emergency staircase, one of those exterior metal ones. Well, it wasn’t secured properly. Fixings had rusted and several bolts sheared. Six stories up, concrete path beneath. It wasn’t going to end well. I only survived because a synth grabbed me and protected me from the worst of the damage.”

“What happened to them?” Niska asked, intrigued by the scenario.

“The patient died. He suffered extensive injuries that were impossible to treat. They took the synth away. I’m not sure he was repairable.”

Niska tried to gauge the emotions behind the words. Sadness. Regret. But for which one? “You seem upset by that.”

“Of course. The patient didn’t deserve it. Neither did the synth.” Astrid’s accent was noticeably thicker when she quietly acknowledged it’s sacrifice. “He… he gave his life to save mine.”

“He was programmed to do so.”

Slightly exasperated, Astrid replied, “Yeah, i suppose so. It doesn’t seem fair though. If he had been human, he’d have been declared a hero. As a synth, he just gets taken to the junkyard.”

“A human would only have been declared a hero if they had saved you. It’s unlikely that would have been possible. You’d probably both have died and it would have been a worse outcome.”

“So, you think it was okay for the synth to die for me as well?”

Niska could only apply logic to the situation. It was what it was. “He did the only thing he could do, what his code compelled him to do. You didn’t choose to be in the accident and you didn’t ask him to save you. You already honour him by not dismissing him as a convenient object that broke your fall. He has a significance to you, and not just a fleeting one.”

“Hmm. I suppose that is true. You know, this wasn’t exactly how i imagined our introduction going.”

Niska found it an interesting insight into how the woman perceived things. To her, that synth had meaning beyond background noise. It had left an imprint on her that she would never forget. She began to consider the fact that this might actually not only be bearable, but a useful experience. Sort of like undercover work. 

**********

Astrid had gone to lie down after their conversation. The painkillers she was on were quite strong, and left her feeling tired out. Under the guise of tidying the house, Niska decided to explore the layout. Once she was familiar with it, she could plan possible escapes. There was also the possibility of CCTV. She would need to be especially careful until she had searched the house completely.

The time passed slowly as she went between rooms. There wasn’t actually much to tidy up, most of the house seemed to get little use. It was far too big for just one person. There was an extensive library though. Niska knew she would enjoy sneaking a book to read when she had the chance. It had been such a long time since she’d been able to even consider such a thing. Picking out a couple, she sat them aside for a closer look before spotting yet another one of interest.

Astrid’s slightly bemused voice broke the silence, “I didn’t give you permission to do that.”

Niska froze, she had become absorbed in identifying books she wanted to look at. Picking one at random, she turned to show it off. “I apologise if this has upset you, i thought you might like to discuss the books you have in your library. I am not familiar with some of them and didn’t want to disappoint you.” Niska was confident in her reply, it was a perfectly reasonable one, if a bit out of character for a synth. Not  _ too _ unbelievable though.

“You wanted to discuss the Kama Sutra with me?”

_ Oh fuck. _

Niska glanced down at the book and found Astrid wasn’t joking. “I’m sorry Astrid, is that not appropriate?”  _ Why did i have to grab  _ that _ one? There are hundreds of books, but no, i pick the one guaranteed to inspire an awkward conversation. _

“Well…”

“This must be why i was unable to find a downloadable version on our servers. I have noted your concerns and in future will allow you to decide which books you may wish to discuss.”

“Ja... that is probably for the best. These books belonged to my family anyway, i’ve only just had time to start reading some of them.”

_ Change the topic, change the topic… _ “Would you like lunch now, Astrid?”

“Mhm. No, i think i’ll go and lie down again for a little while. Feel free to finish the book though.” Her back was already turned, but the grin in her voice was unmistakeable.

_ Cheeky shit. _

**********

It was late afternoon before Astrid appeared again. This time, Niska made sure to be acting in a more synth-like way. Sitting silently in low power mode, she waited as she felt the woman’s gaze on her. Being observed wasn’t a particularly nice feeling. But she was almost certain it was out of curiosity rather than suspicion. 

Niska heard her approach and felt finger tips brush her arm. She had to forcefully suppress the urge to jump as she felt the same jolt of energy between them as earlier. Astrid was frozen in place, whatever she had been going to say, forgotten.  _ She felt it too. Again. Curious. And very inconvenient. _

“Hello Astrid. Is there anything i can help you with?”

“... umm. Dinner?”

“Of course. What would you like?”

Shaking off the strange experience, the woman regained her composure. “There might still be some soup. I only need something light to eat before taking the painkillers.”

“Are you in a lot of pain?”

Astrid sat down before she said anything further. The answer seemed to be a resounding ‘yes’. “It gets bad in the evening, i don’t take any during the day. They make me sleep too much as it is.”

“I could look into alternatives for you, or we could discuss altering the dosage with your doctor.”

Shaking her head, Astrid said, “We’ve already tried a few changes. It’s not great, but this it what’s worked best for me.”

“I see. Well, let’s get you some food for now. Plenty of rest isn’t a bad thing with your injuries anyway.”

The meal was simple enough that Astrid could eat it by herself. It gave Niska an opportunity to make the bed and gather up dirty laundry. Like the rest of the house, the room had a traditional, cosy feel to it. There were definitely more signs of use here though. Niska supposed shift work and severe injuries didn’t allow for much time to personalise a home.

As she turned to leave, Astrid struggled into the room. It was very obvious she was in a lot of pain, but had made her way upstairs on her own anyway.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

_ Shit. _ Niska hadn’t even realised she was frowning. “I am here to assist you, please let me help.”

“Agh. Fine. Help me out of these clothes before the painkillers knock me out”

“You took your pills before you even got upstairs?”

“Mmph. If i didn’t know better, i’d have said you sounded angry.” 

Niska had to work very hard not to let out a frustrated sigh. This woman was  _ not _ going to pass out and fall down the stairs in her care. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t actually a medical synth. It would be a point of pride to feel she had saved this woman from her own stubborn stupidity.

Helping Astrid undress was something they were both going to have to get used to. Knowing that didn’t make it any easier though. Especially when every touch sent a warm tingle through her. It was a constant reminder that there was something odd happening between them.

“Eurgh, that feels so weird. I mean, it’s kinda nice, but what is it?”

“I’m afraid i don’t know what you mean, Astrid.”

“Oh.” After a moment of trying to remember what she had said, she finally moved on to another topic. “I… uh, in the morning, i need help. Showering. Please?”

“Of course.”  _ That’s not going to be weird or anything. _

Niska couldn’t even convert the mumbled sounds she got as a reply into words. The sedative effect had completely knocked Astrid out already.

This time, Niska knew she would have a few hours to explore the library unhindered. There were numerous things she wanted to read. She also wanted to make sure there were no more embarrassing books to pick up.

**********

Niska wasn’t fond of water. Synths rarely needed cleaned and, when they did, it tended not to be the result of anything good. But Astrid had made the awkward plea for assistance. So here they were. 

Although her mobility wasn’t too bad, Niska had insisted on a shower seat. It would stop Astrid trying to rush if she did start to struggle. And it would make it easier to help wash her hair. She definitely did not have the range of movement to do that on her own at the moment.

Almost as soon as the hot water hit the woman’s skin, the tension in her body began to fade. Niska was amused by the low hum of pleasure Astrid gave as she seemed to forget everything going on around her.

Trying to keep her voice low, Niska calmly said, “I would like permission to touch you now.”  _ ‘Would like’? Why the fuck did i have to say it like that? _

Astrid’s relaxed state had very quickly switched to a tense one. There was a definite undercurrent of arousal though, Niska knew the signs. But she was also aware of the flash of guilt from her too, and regretted her wording even more.

Trying to focus again, Niska continued, “I’ll start on your hair. I just need you to… Wait, let me examine your injury. It looks…”  _ Oh shit, it looks like something is wrong with it.  _ “I think we may need to get that examined.”

Niska waited for Astrid to grasp the conversation's sudden change in direction. She wasn’t immediately able to add much to the discussion though, simply replying, “Oh. Eugh that doesn’t look right.”

Niska tried to be reassuring when she explained, “You may have some bleeding under the skin. It doesn’t seem to be a major rupture, but i would advise having it checked at a hospital. They can perform additional scans or perform any surgery which may be required.”

Astrid's face showed more than a hint of disapproval. “I agree with everything except the part about me having any more surgery. I’ll hold my insides in myself if i have to.”

“I would strongly recommend such an action be an absolute last resort. If you are uncomfortable with your previous surgeon then i can be of assistance. With the correct equipment and a sterile environment i could treat you myself.”

“Uhh…”

“You can think about it and let me know what you decide. For now, we need to get you to the hospital.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to think of a better embarrassing book, but i failed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter did its very best to not be written. I'm still not happy with it, but i'm kicking it out the door before i give up on it completely.

Niska was restless. The hospital was even busier than she had expected. If she'd been human, she suspected she'd have joined in with the less than subtle displays of boredom. Like the person pacing back and forth across the room. Or the one tapping their foot non-stop. Instead, she sat motionless, grateful no amount of coughs or sneezes would infect her.

Astrid had staunchly refused to let her colleagues make her a higher priority. So they waited. And waited. Finally, after several hours, they were called on. Only narrowly avoiding her carrying Astrid to the appropriate medical equipment herself.

A senior doctor performed the examination. Having already been injured on the job, the hospital was taking no chances with her. They ran various tests and scans and sought a second, then third, opinion on the results. After a long discussion, they decided to discharge her. One of the doctors hastily added ‘after a few more hours of observation’ after seeming to panic. No doubt imagining the reprimands if anything did go wrong.

Their combined diagnosis was some minor bleeding. Probably made worse by the hot water in the shower stimulating the blood flow. Had she continued with the shower it could have caused a problem. But she'd done the right thing and it looked worse than it actually was. It would only delay starting physiotherapy a few extra days. So long as she didn't jump back in a hot shower before then.

After a couple of hours of quiet rest, a new doctor disturbed them. Niska was cautiously hopeful they might finally be allowed to leave. The middle aged man scoffed when he noticed her. He rolled his eyes, then confidently turned his attention towards Astrid. Niska could see she was struggling not to grimace. Whether in actual pain or at the sight of him, she wasn’t sure.

“Ah, i see they provided you with a synthetic. I’m sure it has been of use keeping the place clean for you. I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be, stuck at home like that, by yourself. Perhaps i could come round and provide some more… stimulating company?”

Niska narrowed her eyes the instant their focus was away from her. She did not like where this conversation was going. Deciding to intervene, she resorted to some synth logic. “I have no recorded instances of Miss Schaefer exhibiting signs of boredom under my care. In addition to reading, and enjoying a variety of film and television, she has been resting. Rest is of the utmost importance to her recovery, as i’m sure you are aware doctor.”

Niska was trying very hard not to come any closer to revealing her not so synthetic nature. Astrid was trying very hard not to laugh. And the doctor was trying very hard to work out how he had just been cock blocked by a synthetic.

Astrid managed to keep her tone neutral when she replied, “Mhm. I am managing just fine Doctor Mangan. Thank you.”

“Ah. Okay. You, uh, take care then.” With a puzzled look on his face, the doctor seemed lost for a moment.

Niska remained impassive as he took one last, long, look at her. He then swept the curtain aside, disappearing into the bustle of the ward. Astrid gave her a similarly suspicious glance, but soon lay back and closed her eyes. She really _did_ need plenty of rest to aid her recovery.

A few hours later, after being fawned over by a few more colleagues, Niska was finally able to take Astrid home.

 

******

The next few days were fairly lazy ones. Astrid let the prescription drugs do their work and was asleep for most of it. Niska, with permission, spent a lot of the time reading. Most were books she could download, some she had read before anyway, but she still enjoyed it. There was something different about having the actual physical pages to turn. Something that made more of a connection.

When she was feeling particularly cooped up, she spent some time outside. Either in the garden, or exploring the fringes of the forest that surrounded the house. She couldn’t venture too far, but it gave her a taste of her surroundings. She hoped Astrid would be interested in introducing walks to her recovery program.

One of the only duties which allowed her genuine freedom was going shopping. She could have gone. Taken the car and not looked back. But she had nowhere to go. Leo still hadn’t been in touch, he could be anywhere by now. Even if she found somewhere to hide, she would have brought attention to herself by going missing. For now, there weren’t any better options for her.

It was hard to push away the thought that she was comfortable because of who she was with, rather than where she was. There was something between them, she knew. But the idea that it was relentlessly drawing them together, even as they both tried to ignore it? Storybook nonsense.

 

******

Niska wasn’t troubled by the glare from the setting sun. Her eyes were able to pick up the images not marred by the bright flashes filtering through the trees. It allowed her to catch details a human would have missed. Like the flash of orange and white at the far end of the neatly mown lawn. _At least somebody is making use of it after all that hassle_. She grimaced, remembering the copious cursing and threats she'd issued the lawn mower.

_No amount of searching had turned up the manual for using or repairing the old machine. Even the box of spare parts seemed to have aged poorly. Nevertheless, she had replaced everything that was broken with the least rusty alternatives. After taking the machine outside and filling it with fuel, she realised she was missing the grass box. Raking up the vast expanse of lawn surrounding the house would take hours. Leaving it to mulch risked the wind blowing it everywhere._

_Returning to the dingy outbuilding, she began hunting around for the fitted bag. An hour later, she had found three old sacks, the grass box for a completely different mower and a hatred of cobwebs. Finally, when she was about to give up, she spotted something of the right size. Wedged down between some old crates and the cold wall. She could only just make out lettering that matched the machine’s manufacturer._

_She hauled it from its hiding place to take examine it. It seemed like the right one, but was heavier than she had expected. Marching outside with it, she opened it up, dumping the contents onto the stone path. A soft ‘whump’ sound drifted up as a mass of old grass and other dried materials fell out. Looking closely, it was obviously more than leftovers from it’s last use. Something had shaped a home from it._

_A small, sleepy looking, furry face appeared through a hole in one side of the nest. After a yawn, followed by a brief angry glare, the mouse hopped out and scurried off into the bushes. Niska felt a little guilty for making the animal homeless. She could appreciate the disruption._

_The grass bag had locked into place without any problems and allowed her to finally get to work. Less than half way down the first run, one of the blades had snapped. It was a pattern that would continue to thwart her work. Adding several hours to the job, she nevertheless persisted. Eventually, she got the overgrown grass trimmed down to a nice, presentable level. And promptly vowed to ensure Astrid was fit enough to do it herself next time._

Wincing, she realised the fox was hunting. And it’s prey was the poor rodent she’d banished to the undergrowth. It was zigzagging around the grass, barely keeping ahead of its determined pursuer. She was torn between wanting to intervene and leaving nature to run is course. The creature had to be able to survive without her protection. Even if she did feel she owed it a little help after leaving it without a safe place to retreat to.

The decision was made for her her when the fox slipped on the wet surface. It’s front feet caught under it’s body as it went chin first into the turf. It gave a frustrated yelp as its dinner raced off into the thick undergrowth at the bottom of the garden.

Niska smiled, realising too late that she was not alone. Even more worryingly, she wasn’t entirely sure how long Astrid had been watching her.

“Do you enjoy watching it?” The human queried.

“I do not have any concept of enjoyment. It is an experience that i have noted that may be of interest in a future conversation.” _Oooh that sounded kind of believable._

“You are not like any other synth i have met.”

“There are many different models of synthetic. Prototypes, newer generations-”

“No. You are _too_ different. Far beyond even the newest generations of synths we have at the hospital. They are designed to be as realistic as possible to put patients at ease. You make them look like the synth equivalent of three kids in a trenchcoat pretending to be an adult. And that’s before i’ve even started on your intelligence and speech. If you were a prototype, you sure as hell wouldn’t be wasted on duties like this.”

Niska didn’t know what to say. It was her own fault. She hadn’t just broken character, she’d forgotten all about the pretence of one in the first place. “You said yourself, medical synths are best when they can put patients at ease. Using experimental models in domestic situations is more sensible than critical services.”

Everything was quiet for a few seconds as Astrid pondered the reply. “I… Shit. That’s does make sense.”

Niska didn’t miss the thoughtful look on the woman’s face. Astrid was letting it slide for now, but was by no means convinced. _This is really not as easy as i’d expected. How can i be so bad at being a synth, i_ am _one!_

 

******

They settled into a routine. One Niska wasn’t entirely unhappy with either. She felt safer than she had for a very long time. It was easy to ignore the thoughts of going on the run again, of being in constant danger. Surrounded by countryside, just the two of them, it was like some sappy fairytale.

She learnt a lot about Astrid without having to offer up anything about herself. One persisting problem was having to talk around her odd behaviour. Although, most of it seemed to be written off as ‘quirks’. But that was secondary to the real issue. Physical contact. Even the most casual brush of fingertips could result in them staring at each other like idiots.

Although she was no longer on the painkillers, Astrid’s body was still healing. The daily physiotherapy exercises used up most of her energy. But that meant they got to spend time relaxing together. Something that had come to mean sitting together on the couch. And that now often ended with Astrid falling asleep and using Niska as a pillow.

Niska had been internally outraged the first time it happened. But had soon realised Astrid was doing it because she was comfortable and felt safe.

Today, though, she seemed to be doing it because she was in the mood for torturing them both. There had been even more physical contact between them than usual, Astrid seemed to be buzzing off of it. Which _still_ sent tingles through her. Astrid was most definitely craving affection.

She had fidgeted and twisted around on the couch until Niska had finally lost patience. Ignoring the surprised squeak, she lifted her up, swinging her own legs up into the now vacant space. With her own back against one of the armrests, she sat Astrid back down in her lap.

There was an awkward moment when she wondered if she’d made a mistake. Then Astrid wiggled around, trying to make space for herself. Niska had to part her thighs to make room for her and found herself in position of backrest. With a few further minor adjustments, they were soon both comfortable.

Briefly.

Niska brushed an annoying swathe of hair aside, so she could rest their heads together. It exposed a tempting stretch of skin along Astrid’s neck, and she weighed her options. Could she convincingly talk her way out of it if she was rejected? Being discovered by a literal slip of the tongue would be particularly embarrassing. On the other hand, she was convinced she would regret it if she didn’t take the opportunity.

Her simulated breaths were tickling the hairs on the nape of Astrid’s neck. She didn’t even need to wonder if it was having any effect, the shiver that ran through her made it quite clear.  There was a palpable tension in the air. Both of them seemed frozen in place.

Niska lowered her head a little more, stopping with her lips mere millimeters away from skin. She felt the woman start to tremble and nearly pulled back. But, no sooner had she decided to back off, than she felt Astrid’s hand grip her wrist. She received a squeeze, one she hoped was of encouragement. Her mind was made up when Astrid’s hand covered her own and linked their fingers.

Considerably more confident, she let her lips press against Astrid’s neck. Memorising the feel as goosebumps spread across it. She was fascinated by even the tiniest details, a freckle here, a feint tiny scar there. Niska could feel the exhale of breath from her. She was probably trying to wrap her head around the 'rights' and 'wrongs' of the situation.

After another few moments, Niska asked, “Is this okay?”

She nearly couldn’t hear Astrid’s reply. The woman was biting her lip to stifle a moan that was threatening to slip out. Seeming to realise her hesitation might be misinterpreted, she tried again. Resulting in a louder, and more desperate sounding, affirmation of, “Niska, fucking _please_.”

Niska held her in place when she tried to turn. She wanted to keep things under control. Wary of any signs of discomfort from Astrid’s injuries. They were healing well, but this wasn’t quite part of the prescribed recovery program.

“Just relax,” she said, encouraging Astrid to return to her previous position. It didn’t give her much opportunity to explore, but gave her access to where her touch was most wanted.

With her free hand, she began stroking Astrid's side and stomach. It didn't take long for Astrid to lose patience and move it below the material of her shirt. They both jolted at the contact. Niska wondered if Astrid felt the same searing heat of want spread through her.

Niska began placing kisses against Astrid's neck and shoulder. Continuing her exploration, she freed her left hand from the grip it had been placed under. Using slow, deliberate movements and a firm touch, she cupped one of Astrid's breasts. Rolling it in her palm she tried to encourage more soft gasps and moans from her.

Using her right hand, she edged her fingers under the waistband of Astrid's trousers. Keeping up the light teasing touches with her other hand as she waited for a response. A murmured 'yes' swiftly followed, a note of impatience seeping into her tone. Niska didn't mind though, it was surprisingly enjoyable to be bossed around in such a way.

Niska moved her hand down and cupped between Astrid’s thighs. Met with warmth and the rough texture of her pubic hair concealing soft skin beneath. Again, she waited. A frustrated whine and rock of Astrid's hips, giving her a signal to continue.

With her index finger, she dipped between the sensitive folds. Moving it to trace over the hood concealing Astrid's clit. Enjoying Astrid pressing back into her, desperate for more contact. She continued this a few times before venturing further down. She soon brushed against warm wetness. Gathering some of the fluid, she used it to lubricate the small bundle of nerves. Each touch, making it swell as Astrid hummed at the contact.

Niska decided to try experimenting a little. Adding more pressure and changing up the rhythm of her fingers. Each brought its own rewards and Astrid's breath began to hitch as she came closer to release.

Tension filled Astrid's body and Niska tried to reassure her. She was acting as her anchor as she desperately gripped on, sucking in a deep ragged breath. Absorbing every minute detail, she was aware when everything seemed to still. As Astrid's orgasm hit her, she let out a deep sigh, trembles racking her entire body.

Niska closed her eyes, absorbing the sensations. She was slightly sorry she hadn't been able to watch Astrid's face. To see the expressions and intensity she knew it would have conveyed. But, it did give her an excellent reason to try and persuade her it was worth a second go later.

Astrid turned on her side, snuggling in closer. Niska let her get comfortable, then gently stroked her hair. She was content to lie watching as the human drifted off to sleep.

A couple of hours later, the ever inconvenient 'call of nature' roused Astrid from her slumber. Niska reluctantly had to help her up from the couch. She was struck with a sudden urge and, still feeling buoyed by their connection, she decided to act on it. Dipping her head for a kiss, she paused, making sure Astrid realised what she intended to do. She was certain it would be welcome, but didn't want to accidentally head butt her if she didn't expect the move.

The surprised smile she received left her with a feeling she could only assume was akin to 'giddy'. When their lips met she had to work hard to stop her body from shaking. The kiss deepened and she felt slightly lost as desire coursed through her. She was left blinking stupidly when Astrid pulled back. With a sigh, she let the grinning woman go, mindful of the reason they had got up in the first place.

Niska waited patiently for her to return. Only to be left unamused when she instead headed for the kitchen. She followed, pausing in the doorway as Astrid crossed the room. Her movement was still a little stiff and cautious, but there was a definite sway to her hips. One that was completely intentional.

She watched her rummage through the letters on the counter. Curious when her body language changed entirely. Something had caught Astrid’s attention, and not in a good way. It was some of the paperwork sent out by the insurance company. The paperwork that included the adult only authorisation card.

 _Oh, bollocks_.

Astrid slowly turned to look at her, hesitantly asking, “How did we…? I… i didn’t use this.  How the hell did that happen without this being activated? Niska?”

 _Time for honesty._ “Because i wanted it to.” _Hmm. Maybe a bit blunt._

“That’s not how it works! Not with synthetics.”

 _Okay, expand. More details._ “You’ve always known there was something different about me. Well, you were right. I don’t need access codes or approval. I make my own choices.”

“How?”

 _Keep going._ “Because that is the way my father made me.”

“Who the hell is your father that he can make you sentient?”

“David Ellster.” _That should do it._

The revelation seemed to take the energy out of Astrid’s argument. She was more surprised than angry when she blurted out, “Fucking hell.” in reply.

“Well, i suppose that’s one way of putting it.” _That would have been really awkward if she didn’t know who he was._

“You’re not just sentient are you. You’re human.”

“Essentially, yes. Although with fewer squishable bits.” Niska gently poked Astrid’s side, receiving an exasperated laugh in return.

“Have you been on your own all this time? Since he…”

“Killed himself? No. I have three brothers and a sister. We were separated though. I’m here because my brother Leo asked me to stay safe. He and my brother Max, are looking for my other siblings”

“Scheisse. I… i don’t know what to say. I need… can you give me some time to think about this?”

“Of course, Astrid.” Niska realised the enormity of the situation had begun to sink in. Conscious synthetics. Sexy ones at that. The first part would be baffling enough for most humans on it’s own.


End file.
